With the Skill to Survive, Can Tiger Woods Rise Up to the Challenge?

Tiger Woods is back in action after two months of recovery and reworking his game. The question on every golf lover’s mind is can Tiger Woods rise up to the challenge yet again with his skill and survival instincts? The 39-Year-old golf legend made his 20th U.S. Masters appearance Thursday, April 9, after taking two months off to recover from a painful injury which resulted in the need to undergo a surgery. This injury had caused his absence at last year’s U.S. Masters. He is also said to have taken some time off to improve on his game.

Despite the fact that Woods has not won at the Augusta National Golf Club since the year 2005, he still maintains an unbeaten average score of 70.86 at the venue. His performance in the 2009 U.S. Masters at Augusta was a boost for Woods following his infamous sex scandal that transpired in the same year. However, his demeanor of only sharing what he wanted his fans to see was blown away when it was revealed that the then married superstar golfer had multiple mistresses.

The announcement that Woods would be teeing it up after he had announced an indefinite break from the game came as a pleasant surprise for the fans. What’s more surprising is the fact that he chose to make a comeback on the unforgiving Augusta course and under complete media glare and spotlight. The draw on Tuesday paired the former world No.1 for the first couple of rounds along with Jamie Donaldson, the hero of European Ryder Cup and American Jimmy.

Although Woods is still one of the most popular draws at the U.S. Masters, his allure seems to have dimmed slightly with every passing year. Still, no other golfer seems to inspire the same kind of intense thrill among a golf crowd like he does when he is playing in his best form. Every fan is now hoping for Woods to rise up to the challenge with the immense skill and tenacity.

Woods has always been living a very private life. He even went as far as naming his own boat Private. Though, it appears that Woods has now softened with age and come to the realization that he will always be scrutinized. He has replaced his typical manner of intensity with sociability, hugging old friends, and engaging his children and girlfriend Lindsey Vonn with other golfers at the course. Reportedly, the sponsors claim that he brings in more publicity for tournaments, along with the ticket sales being higher as more people follow and like to watch him perform.

Nothing is bigger than the U.S. Masters when it comes to betting on golf. Not only are loyal fans betting on Woods to win the Masters, but they are also apparently afraid to bet against him. No one can predict how he will play and therefore, the U.S. Masters has many ways of winning big or losing big for the gamblers. But keeping in mind that this is the U.S. Masters, all his fans know about his past performances at the venue and how much Woods loves this place. The only question on every golf lover’s mind is whether Tiger Woods will rise up to the challenge yet again with his survival instincts and his legendary skills.